MicroRNA-143 functions as a tumor suppressor in human bladder cancer T24 cells.

MicroRNA (miR)-143 and -145 were down-regulated in human bladder cancer T24 cells. The enforced expression of miR-143 induced growth-suppression in T24 cells through down-regulation of ERK5 and Akt expression at translational level, and chemically-modified synthetic miR-143 (miR-143/BP) exhibited a greater growth inhibitory effect than wild-type miR-143. In addition, the synthetic miR-143/BP induced apoptotic cell death in some of the transfected cells. Furthermore, co-treatment with the synthetic miR-143/BP and cisplatin showed the additive growth-suppressing effect on T24 cells. These findings suggest that the chemically-modified synthetic miR-143 functions as a tumor suppressor in T24 cells by targeting ERK5 and/or Akt.